Sequim man gets 7-year sentence for firearm assaults

PORT ANGELES — Keith Roberson of Sequim has been sentenced to seven years plus one day on two counts of assault in the second degree, with each count with a firearm enhancement.

Roberson, a landscaper and Army veteran, was convicted by a jury Jan. 12 but sentencing was delayed until Wednesday for completion of a mental health evaluation by a defense expert.

Roberson’s lawyer, Ralph Anderson of Port Angeles, immediately filed a notice of appeal to the state Court of Appeals on the conviction.

Judge Christopher Melly sentenced Roberson to 84 months and a day after rejecting the defense request for an exceptional sentence below the standard range, the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said. State officials had requested 86 months and a day, the high end of the standard range.

According to the probable cause statement filed in court and trial testimony, on Feb. 17, 2016, Sheriff’s deputies answered a Sequim-area 9-1-1 call of a prowler armed with a firearm and found Roberson, 56, holding a man at gunpoint on the back porch of the man’s South Barr Road-area residence.

Recorded 9-1-1 calls established that Roberson held the man at gunpoint for almost an hour, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office. A second neighbor ran to the residence after hearing a gunshot and testified that Roberson fired in his direction.

Roberson testified at trial that he had smoked methamphetamine prior to the assaults but did not believe the drug use affected him, prosecuting attorney’s office officials said. He testified that he believed people were after him and that he was firing warning shots in self-defense. Neither victim knew Roberson.

A defense expert evaluation did not find mental illness that contributed to the assaults, and noted that Roberson had received drug treatment in the past, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office. The jury did not find Roberson acted in self-defense.

Roberson has prior convictions for disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana under 40 grams, negligent driving first degree, DUI and multiple convictions for driving with a suspended license, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office.

Upon release, Roberson will be subject to 18 months of community custody with the Department of Corrections. No-contact orders were entered prohibiting contact with both victims for the next 10 years.